NEWS STORY: JANUARY 2008

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Your hot water system: stay safe!

A recent inquest showed that the tragic death of a child in Somerset was due to an immersion heater fault.

Picture of a hot water tap Hot tips: know the danger signals to stay safe.

A faulty thermostat caused the water temperature to increase so much that hot water went into the cold water storage tank and caused it to burst. The storage tank was in the loft, and was not adequately supported.

The incident has raised understandable concerns for millions of householders across the country.

There should be no problem with your immersion heater, but with any hot water system it's always best to be aware of danger signs so you know what to do in the unlikely event of anything going wrong.

Follows these tips to stay safe

The signs of a possible problem are:

  • an unexpected rise in the temperature of your hot water
  • warm water coming out of your cold water taps
  • unusual noises from your heating system including rumbling, banging, or bubbling

If any of these things happen, turn off the immersion heater immediately; the switch is near the hot water cylinder cupboard. Then report the fault to us: phone 0300 111 0000.